Entering the relatively intact room, Eldrin gestured for everyone to take a seat.
He slowly sat on the sofa, his withered fingers lightly brushing against the teacup on the stone table.
After pouring a cup of tea for Isavel, Eldrin did not immediately discuss business.
Instead, he used his aged eyes to slowly scan the group before speaking with certainty.
“You all… come from outside this ancient battlefield, don’t you?”
Isavel picked up her cup, her fingertips gently rubbing against the rim.
A subtle sharpness flashed in her eyes. “Yes, but how did you know?”
Eldrin did not answer directly. He leaned back slightly and looked toward the ominous sky outside the window, as if recalling a vast stretch of time.
“I have existed in this ancient battlefield, in this city of Derose, for countless years. I have witnessed the birth and disappearance of countless people.”
“But I have never heard the name of the Rose Knights, nor have I seen someone as powerful as you. Therefore, the moment you appeared, I guessed that you came from beyond the ancient battlefield.”
Isavel set down her cup, the stone tabletop making a soft clinking sound upon contact.
Like the demons, Eldrin knew this was an ancient battlefield, which saved her a lot of trouble.
She stopped beating around the bush and looked directly at Eldrin, getting straight to the point.
“Since that is the case, let us not waste words. We came to this ancient battlefield specifically to sever the Root of the Abyssal Evil Dragon. Do you know where it is?”
“The Root of the Abyssal Evil Dragon?”
Eldrin’s white eyebrows shot up, his face showing genuine confusion and contemplation.
“I have never heard of such a thing. On this land, the only legends passed down are the supreme power of the Evil Dragon itself and the war that ended everything between it and the Goddess.”
At this, he looked earnestly at Isavel.
“Can you explain in detail what that actually is? Perhaps the name I know is different.”
Isavel pondered for a moment before explaining, “Based on our investigation, it is likely the cause of the Dragon’s full resurrection and the source that maintains this Abyssal ancient battlefield.”
“Maintains this battlefield…” Eldrin repeated in a low voice, his aged face becoming even more solemn.
He closed his eyes, his fingers moving unconsciously over the scratches on the stone table.
After a moment, he opened them, a murky light flickering within.
“Although I cannot confirm what form the root you speak of takes, if it truly is the core existence constructed for this battlefield…”
He stood up and walked to the window.
“Then it must be in the most dangerous part of this battlefield, where the laws are most twisted and chaotic.”
He turned around to face Isavel.
“At the center of this battlefield, the most intense reflections of the battle between the Evil Dragon and the Goddess remain. They are imprints left in space from the collision of two divine powers.”
“That place is filled with the violent remnants of divine prestige. Rationally speaking, no living creature should be able to survive there, but… the human Divine Court is an exception.”
“The Divine Court?” A light flashed in Isavel’s eyes. This term caught her immediate attention.
Eldrin returned to his seat and slowly sat down, his tone carrying a distant nostalgia.
“I do not know how many years have passed in the outside world or what history has become. But in our era, the Divine Court was the highest organization founded by the Goddess herself, representing the divine will.”
“Guarding the order of the world and all living beings was the core responsibility of the Divine Court. They were the Goddess’s most loyal followers and strongest guardians.”
“If you do not know the specific location of the Divine Court, perhaps… I can lead the way.”
Facing Isavel’s slightly surprised gaze, Eldrin gave a bitter smile and explained, “After all, before Derose was established… I served in the Divine Court for a very long time. It was only because of my advancing age and lack of energy that I chose to leave and establish a human outpost.”
“Although much time has passed, I am still quite familiar with the path to the Divine Court.”
Hearing this, Isavel nodded slightly. She gave a faint smile. “I see. Then I must thank you, Grand Mage Eldrin.”
Eldrin waved his hand, his expression becoming solemn and firm once more.
He looked out the window at the people of Derose, who were gradually being organized to clear the ruins. His voice was full of sighs.
“There is no need for thanks. Ending the Abyssal Dragon is the hope of all humanity. I am merely fulfilling my duty as a human.”
“Rest well today. Tomorrow morning, I will lead you out of Derose and toward the very center of the ancient battlefield, where the Divine Court is located.”
The light of the crystal lamps danced in his eyes. This Grand Mage, who had existed in the ancient battlefield for countless years, seemed to have rekindled his hot-blooded desire for dragon-slaying.
Although less than one-tenth of the buildings remained after the demon attack, Haywood still helped the Rose Knights find suitable lodging.
Late at night, Leanna, lying in bed, felt a strange and intense sense of unease.
Even though they had killed countless demons and saved Derose during the day, for some reason, she did not feel a strong sense of excitement after saving the city this time.
‘Perhaps it is because even if I do not save them, they will not truly die?’
Like the demons, the people living in the ancient battlefield were actually deceased.
They only appeared to be alive like humans because of the power of the Abyssal Dragon.
In this state, even if they were killed by demons, they would likely be resurrected again soon.
‘And once we sever the Root of the Abyssal Evil Dragon, they will truly dissipate like dust.’
‘If I lived here, would I really support them in severing the root?’
This doubt lingered in her mind, preventing her from sleeping.
Wrapping her quilt tighter, Leanna forced herself to close her eyes and set aside such thoughts.
However, she soon felt that the city was too quiet.
It didn’t feel like a place that had just survived a catastrophe; instead, it felt like the suffocating silence before a storm.
Suddenly, her ears twitched.
It wasn’t the sound of the wind. Something was darting through the wind, coming from outside the walls, getting closer and louder!
The next second, she gripped her longsword!
Boom!
At that exact moment, the wall beside her was smashed open.
A giant demon hand, half the height of a person, lunged at her, but she managed to brace against it with her longsword.
Seeing the sneak attack fail, the demon instantly exploded with Abyssal Magic around Level 80, destroying the few remaining intact buildings in Derose while continuously lashing out at Leanna.
Its sharp claws carried a strange gravity, and its powerful aura even made the space tremble slightly.
This demon’s strength was far beyond that of the scattered fodder from earlier that day!
Leanna swung her sword to parry. With the enhancement of her magic, she and the demon were almost evenly matched.
However, in that instant, more and more demons appeared in Derose like crawling insects.
Seeing the people in Derose plunged into the fires of war once again, cold fury burned in Leanna’s eyes.
“Demons? You certainly are working hard to eradicate humanity!”
A raspy, fanatical response came from the darkness, the voice echoing from multiple directions as if there was a commander. “Everything is for the Lord Dragon!”
“Then let’s see you try!”
Leanna swung her sword again to force the demon back. At the same time, she used a magic-infused voice to signal her surroundings. “Rose Knights, assemble!”
Within Derose, the shrill alarm bells finally rang, a step too late. Unfortunately, the demon vanguard had already invaded the city like maggots in bone!
Derose, which had just seen a glimmer of hope, instantly fell back into a hell of despair and screams.
Magic, sword intent, the roars of demons, and the sound of collapsing buildings merged into a chaotic mess.
Under the cover of her companions, Leanna moved through the chaos, her sword strikes precisely killing the demons that posed the greatest threat to the commoners.
Just as she rushed toward a burning house, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing in the middle of the street, looking utterly lost.
He seemed oblivious to the raging fires and the fleeing crowds around him.
It was Stellan!
The hopeful look he had during the day was gone, replaced by a hollow, deathly grey. He just stood there, clutching a notched, broken sword in his hand.
The fresh bandages on his body were once again splattered with foul blood.
She rushed over, grabbed Stellan, and pulled him behind a relatively safe broken wall. Gripping his shoulders hard, she stared into his eyes.
“Stellan! Wake up! Hide, quickly! We will save Derose just like we did today! Trust us!”
However, Stellan’s eyes did not focus on her face at all. He seemed to be looking through Leanna at something far more terrifying.
His entire body began to tremble violently. His lips quivered as he repeatedly muttered to himself in a broken voice, “Why… why… why…”
The ominous premonition in Leanna’s heart suddenly intensified.
She shook him harder. “Stellan? Look at me! What’s wrong? What happened?!”
Finally, under the shaking, Stellan slowly moved his hollow gaze to Leanna’s face.
His expression was filled with the extreme agony and confusion of a shattered faith.
Using a voice that sounded like it was coming from his deathbed, he squeezed out a sentence that nearly froze Leanna’s blood.
“Why… why did Master Eldrin… bring… the demons here?”
“What?!”
Leanna felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her pupils constricted suddenly!
At that very moment, from the direction of the city center, several terrifying pressures that could change the very sky erupted!
Those were no ordinary demons. There were four separate Demi-God level Abyssal auras, rising like pillars of black smoke, connecting the earth to the dark red sky!
Leanna snapped her head up and looked toward the source of that heart-palpitating energy.
In the previously empty sky, several mountain-like demonic figures were suspended, the pressure they emitted warping the space around them.
And to their side, the Grand Mage Eldrin, who had been so beloved by the people of Derose, was floating in mid-air.
The staff in his hand still glowed with the blue light called “Protection,” but the corners of his mouth carried a strange, cold curve.
Surrounded at the very center was a solitary, black-clad figure.
Her black hair flew in the violent, turbulent energy. Her profile, illuminated by the surrounding magic and dark light, was incomparably beautiful.
She held a pitch-black blade in her hand, standing there silently, yet appearing to be the center of the entire world.
It was Isavel.
Leanna’s heart sank to the bottom of an abyss at that moment.
……
At Eldrin’s feet lay a corpse.
It was the body of General Haywood. In Isavel’s perception, she saw that he had approached Eldrin earlier to ask about the ancient battlefield.
Immediately after, Eldrin had killed him without hesitation.
Then, the demons had surrounded Derose like a tide.
In the eyes of the people of Derose, this most respected Grand Mage, who had protected them for countless years, was actually so indifferent.
No wonder their faith had collapsed.
Isavel stood opposite him, remaining motionless amidst the violent gale of magic, though the hem of her black robes fluttered slightly.
She looked at the former protector before her, a cold light flashing in her eyes.
“This is truly an eye-opener, Eldrin. As the founder of Derose, you chose to collude with demons.”
“Collude? How could that be?” He tilted his head slightly, as if confused by why Isavel would think so. “I am merely this Abyssal ancient battlefield.”
Protecting the Abyssal ancient battlefield so it wouldn’t be destroyed by outsiders.
“You are already dead,” Isavel stated calmly, looking directly at him.
These words made Eldrin’s hand, which was stroking his staff, pause.
He slowly lowered his head to look at his hands, which were currently channeling magic.
Then he looked back up at Isavel, his eyes showing genuine confusion and a slight excitement.
“Dead? How is that possible!”
His voice rose.
“I can think as if I am alive, eat as if I am alive, sleep, and even use magic and perceive the existence of souls. How could I be dead?”
He pointed down at the city struggling in the sea of fire, his tone gradually becoming hurried and persuasive.
“I am clearly still alive! Still living in this ancient battlefield! Did you not see the people in Derose? They do not know the truth, so they feel truly alive. Every day they wake up, work, laugh, cry… how happy they are…”
“How happy they are! They are alive, and I am alive!”
As he spoke, the expression on his face grew fanatical, the veins on the back of his hand gripping the staff bulging.
Behind him, the magic vortex suddenly expanded, linking even more tightly with the auras of the four demons.
The space near the entire sky began to disintegrate, and rubble floated into the air.
Eldrin’s voice suddenly peaked, carrying an unquestionable resolve.
“Therefore, if you want to eliminate this ancient battlefield and erase our existence, I will be the first to refuse!”